It’s that time of year again: The weather is starting to get a little crisper, and soon the leaves will begin to turn color. The end of summer is a time of change and new beginnings for many people. With it can come some excitement, nervousness, and lots of questions as you get ready for a new school year: What will this year look like? What will my new class schedule be? Will I like the people in my class? What if I get that teacher or professor that no one wants to have? Will my friends be in the same class as me?
These are all expected uncertainties that students face at the start of a new school year. But for many teens and young adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and their caregivers, there will undoubtedly be many additional things to worry about.
For students with OCD, school can be a struggle. They may appear to be daydreaming, distracted, or disinterested, when really, they are often struggling with distressing, unwanted thoughts, fears, images, or urges—also known as obsessions. This can lead them to be focused on compulsions—the rituals they complete in an attempt to alleviate the anxiety and distress their obsessions cause.
To understand how OCD can show up during the school year, let’s consider some scenarios that students with OCD may find themselves in and strategies for managing OCD during the back-to-school transition, as well as year-round.
What OCD might look like in high school
Jose is a 15-year-old high school student. He has been struggling with nagging thoughts about whether his friends really like him or not. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot seem to shake these thoughts. He asks them repeatedly if they do, and he can tell that they are getting annoyed with him. Over the summer break, he wasn’t able to see them as much and noticed that they didn’t go out of their way to invite him to any gatherings. He starts to worry if this is because of his constant questioning. Jose wishes he could stop having these thoughts, but he just can’t seem to. Learn more about this OCD symptom →
Sienna just turned 18 and is a senior at last. Although this should be a time of excitement for her, she can’t help but feel sad. During her summer break, she spent some time with her friends at the lake. On one occasion, there were people from another school that she hadn’t previously met. Sienna got introduced to a new guy that day and later that evening, they kissed. They started to date, and she began following him on social media. That was when she realized that he had just turned 17 years old. She immediately broke up with him and ignored his calls. She became devastated as she liked him, but she couldn’t shake the guilt and shame that she felt. Sienna feels she has done something wrong and questions whether she is attracted to children because he is younger than her. Now, every time she sees a guy she is attracted to at school, she worries that he might be younger than her. Learn more about this OCD symptom →
Marcus is a very conscientious 13-year-old. He always wants to do the “right thing.” When he feels he hasn’t, he is compelled to tell someone what he has done “wrong,” confessing every possible mishap. This has left him in many awkward situations. Marcus understands that this is illogical and realizes that not many people tell everyone everything that they may have done wrong, but he still feels the urge to do so. That’s because when he resists confessing, he feels that he cannot shake the thoughts, and he is unable to move on with his day until he does. He has noticed that people give him odd looks and some people have even called him names because of this habit. This has left him worried about the new school year and what it will bring. Learn more about this OCD symptom →
What OCD might look like in college
Alex is a 19-year-old college freshman. Since moving into his shared dorm room, he’s been extremely worried about contamination and germs. He spends hours each day cleaning and disinfecting his living space, often missing classes or social events as a result. Even though Alex knows his behavior is extreme, he can’t shake the fear that he’ll get sick if he doesn’t maintain his rigorous cleaning routine. His roommate is becoming increasingly frustrated, and Alex worries about how this will affect their relationship. Learn more about this OCD symptom →
Jasmine is a driven 20-year-old sophomore majoring in political science. She’s paralyzed by perfectionism in her coursework. She rereads her essays dozens of times, constantly revising and rewriting, fearing that any small mistake could ruin her GPA and future career prospects. This behavior causes her to miss deadlines and stay up all night, negatively impacting her health and social life. Jasmine recognizes that her peers don’t struggle with assignments to this degree, but she still feels unable to submit work unless it’s “perfect.” Learn more about this OCD symptom →
Tyler is a 21-year-old junior who plays on his university’s soccer team. Although he’s been happily dating his girlfriend for two years, he’s plagued by doubts about his sexual orientation and constantly questions whether he might be gay because he occasionally notices attractive men. He spends hours analyzing his past interactions and conversations, “checking” his thoughts and feelings with the hope of achieving absolute certainty about his sexuality. Tyler knows that he loves his girlfriend but these doubts are so highly distressing and disorienting that he finds it difficult to concentrate on anything else. As a result, he’s started avoiding the gym and coming up with excuses to miss his team’s practices. His relationship and his studies are also being affected. Learn more about this OCD symptom →
5 tips for going back to school with OCD
These scenarios are just some of the countless ways in which OCD can impact students. OCD comes in many themes and can manifest in so many different ways that it would be nearly impossible to capture them all. Yet, these stories all have something in common: These teens and young adults are suffering at a deep level—and likely so are the people that love them the most, as it can be difficult for loved ones to watch you go through the experience of OCD.
As you prepare to return to school or college, both you and your loved ones might be feeling anxious about the unknowns ahead. Remember that preparation can make a big difference, and there are strategies that can help you have a smooth transition into the new school year.
1. Be aware of your OCD symptoms and triggers
Think about the specific triggers that might come up at school related to your OCD symptoms. Try to develop greater awareness of what your OCD looks like and how being at school might affect it. OCD often attaches itself to things or people we value, so what affects one student with OCD will be different for another, even though they have the same disorder. To help bring awareness to your specific triggers, it is important to first identify or recognize what you value.
2. Learn about how OCD works
It’s crucial to understand that the thoughts OCD latches onto are often ego-dystonic, meaning that they conflict with your actual goals, values, and desires. That is why they tend to be so troubling, and why your mind might feel “stuck” on them. Remember, having a thought is not the same as acting on it or wanting it to happen. This is a very important distinction. By separating your identity from your OCD thoughts, you can start to take their power away.
3. Create a mental health game plan for the school year
If it’s something you’re comfortable with, you can talk to your parents about your concerns for the new school year. You can also try creating an emergency plan, either on your own or with their help—a strategy for what to do if your anxiety becomes overwhelming during class. This might be a code word you text to a parent, or a designated spot at school that you can go to when needed.
4. Consider meeting with teachers or school staff
You may also want to consider trying to meet with your teacher, professors, or school staff before the school year starts. Meeting them may help ease some of your worries, and they may also be a good person to talk to about your plan for managing symptoms. If you’d rather keep the details private, you can still make them aware of the fact that you may need to step outside of the classroom occasionally.
5. Focus on the underlying components of OCD, not the content of the thoughts
Remember that OCD wants rigidity, predictability, and to know with 100% certainty about any given concern (which is impossible). Of course, we all know that not everything can be planned out, and things do happen that are unaccounted for. That is why it’s key not to focus so much on the particular theme, fear, or concern, but rather on the underlying components of the disorder.
OCD often causes people to doubt everything and fixate on the what-ifs. OCD might try to convince them that this time it really is different, and so they must do what OCD tells them to do. This can sound like, “If I do this compulsion just one more time, then everything will be okay.” The more that you can become aware of the way OCD works, the more equipped you are to resist it.
Preparing for school with OCD can be challenging, but with awareness, planning, and support, it’s possible to manage your symptoms and have a successful school year.
We can help you tackle your intrusive thoughts, no matter what they are
Managing OCD symptoms long-term
The goal of these tips isn’t to accommodate OCD rituals and compulsions. While that might feel helpful in the short term, it will not benefit you in the long run. Instead, these strategies are meant to help you ease into the new school year and feel supported. This approach can help reduce the stress and fatigue that often come with OCD.
Understanding what’s happening (and helping others understand too, if you choose to) is a crucial part of facing the bully that is OCD. Remember, this is a gradual process. Your OCD didn’t develop overnight, and it won’t be conquered overnight either.
These suggestions are also meant to be short-term solutions and should be part of a larger treatment plan. Ideally, you should be working with a therapist who specializes in treating OCD. They can help you develop a more comprehensive plan of action.
If you haven’t already, it’s highly recommended that you start exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy with an OCD specialist. ERP is a highly effective, clinically proven treatment for OCD and the skills it teaches can be incredibly helpful with the back-to-school transition. In ERP, your therapist can help you come up with ideas for how to confront your fears at a manageable level, even in a school setting.
Through ERP, you’ll learn how to sit with uncomfortable feelings and resist the urge to do compulsions. You’ll see that anxiety, like any other feeling, eventually passes on its own—and that you don’t have to do anything to make this happen.
There’s also help available through special education services within many school settings. It is important to note that many school personnel might not be familiar with OCD and how it manifests, so you, your parents, and your treatment team may need to advocate for what you need, but schools are required by law to help students with OCD.
According to the International OCD Foundation, “the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law in the United States that governs how states and federally funded public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities. Although the law does not include OCD as a specific disability, children may be eligible to receive special education services through an ‘Other Health Impairment’ (OHI) or ‘Emotional Disturbance’ (ED exception).”
Above all else, remember that you’re not alone in this. You have a support system—people around you who care and are willing to help you as you learn to manage your OCD. It can be a challenging journey, but with the right treatment and support, you can learn to handle this condition during the school year and long term.
Taking ERP to school
If you’re struggling with OCD and want to learn how to manage your symptoms during the school year and beyond, NOCD can help. Our licensed therapists deeply understand OCD and are specialty-trained in treating OCD with ERP, the gold-standard treatment. We work side-by-side with the OCD experts and researchers who designed some of the world’s top OCD treatment programs—and that means the best care for our members and their families.
Your NOCD Therapist will help you create a specific, personalized treatment plan that works for you and your family to tackle your OCD fears. Working with a therapist can help you figure out what fighting OCD will look like both at school and at home. Ultimately, ERP can help you and your family regain the freedom that OCD has taken from you.
To learn more about how you can get started with effective, affordable, and convenient OCD treatment, book a free 15-minute call with our team.